Researchers from the City University of Hong Kong have developed a self-charging electrostatic face mask that can continuously replenish its electrostatic charge and maintain high filtering performance for up to 60 hours without needing external power sources.
The mask, which uses the triboelectric effect between the electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride) nanofiber film and nylon fabric, and achieves efficient and prolonged airborne particle removal, maintaining high efficiency of 95.8% for 0.3-μm particles. The mask’s self-charging capability through breathing enables continuous replenishment of the electrostatic charges, significantly increasing the filtering performance in prolonged use of the mask compared to conventional surgical masks.
The development paves the way for creating high-efficiency, long-lifespan air-filtering techniques and could reduce the environmental burden caused by discarded masks. The raw material cost of the self-charging air filter is low, making it a cost-effective and environmentally friendly option.
Ref: Peng Z, Shi J, Xiao X, et al. Self-charging electrostatic face masks leveraging triboelectrification for prolonged air filtration. Nature Communications. 2022;13(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-35521-w
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